Folding chair



Jan. 9, 1934. F. M. OVERBEY FOLDING CHAIR Filed Oct. 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3mm. 9, 1934. F. M. OVERBEY 1,943,037

FOLDING CHAIR Filed not. 15, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ["M @a an y Patented Jan. 9, 1934 PATENT OFFICE UNITED STATES 2 Claims.

This invention has for its object the provision of a chair which, when in use, will be firm and steady and which may be folded readily and quickly into a compact form when it is not to be used. The invention provides a 'chair in which the parts are so arranged that the chair may be easily set up for use, or folded for storage, by a single motion, and the invention resides in certain novel features which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter first fully described and then particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a perspective view of a chair embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of thesame,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with parts in section,

Fig. 4 is a central section showing the position of the parts when the chair is folded,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. '7 is an enlarged detail section showing the foot rest or step in the folded position,

latch for holding the tray in operative position,

Fig. 9 is a detail rear elevation of a portion of the chair.

In the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a childs high chair but it is to be understood that the principal features of the invention may be embodied in all other models of chairs and are especially desirable for arm chairs used by students in schools and colleges.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a back frame consisting of side bars 1 which are of some considerable length so that they may serve as legs and also for the side members of the back, the back consisting of upper and lower rails 2 and 3 and an intermediate member 4 extending between the upper and lower rails, which may be of any preferred form. Across the back of the upper rail 2 is secured a strap or bracket 100 which braces the back and is provided at its ends with studs or trunnions 101 which are seated in sockets provided therefor in the inner sides of the side bars 1 at the upper ends thereof so that the back is swiveled or pivotally suspended and may swing forward as the chair is folded. Upon referring more particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be noted that below the upper ends of the side members a cross bar 5 is secured to and between the same to impart rigidity to the structure and also serve as a support for the back edge of the seat 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing the- A similar cross bar 7 is secured to and between the side members 1, near the lower ends of the same, so that a very strong rigid structure will be attained. Disposed between and pivoted to the respective side bars 1 are. leg members 8 which, when the device is in use, have their lower ends arranged at the rear of the lower ends of the side members 1 to rest upon the floor and constitute rear legs for supporting the chair, the upper ends of these legs being pivotally connected to the seat 6, as will be presently set forth more in detail. The legs 8 are braced, near their lower ends, by a cross bar 9 secured in and extended between them, ,as will be understood. The seat 6 may be of any approved form and is illus- 7o trated as a single wooden member provided adjacent its rear edge, on its sides, with studs or pins projecting laterally therefrom and shown at 10 in Fig. 3. These pins or studs enter, and are adapted to slide in, grooves 11 formed in the inner sides of the side members 1 at the upper ends thereof so that, while the seat cannot be .detached from the principal side members, it may have movement relative thereto and this movement is transmitted to other parts of the chair 30 when the same is to be folded. A strap 12 is provided at the rear of the seat to facilitate the lifting of the seat at its back end in folding the chair. Preferably, the studs 10 are formed on the outer sides of brackets 102 which are secured to the side edges of the seat and project rearwardly beyond the same, a rod 103 being secured in and extending between the'extremities of the brackets and the strap or loop 12 being secured on said rod. The lower extremity of the back is disposed between the rod 103 and the rear edge of the seat and will be pushed slightly forward by the rod when the chair is folded. On the underside of the seat, at the front corners of the same, are secured brackets 13 and immediately adjacent these brackets, the side edges of the seat are recessed, as indicated at i l, to accommodate the upper ends of the back legs 8 which are pivoted to the rear ends of the brackets 13, as shown in the drawings. Near their upper ends, the legs 8 have brackets 15 secured thereon which are in the form of clips fitting around three sides of the legs and provided at their outer ends with. lateral studsor trunnions 16 which pass through slots 17 formed longitudinally in braces 18 which are disposed at the outer sides of the side members l and are pivoted thereto at their lower ends, as shown at 19. Arms 20 are pivoted at their rear ends to the outer sides of the side A members I, above the seat. 6, and normally ex ;,ll0

tend forwardly from said side members above and parallel with the seat. On the'underside of each arm 20 is secured a bracket or guide plate 21, having a longitudinal slot 22 therein, and the upper ends of the braces 18 are provided with studs 23 which slidably and pivotally engage in the slots 22 of the respectively adjacent guide brackets 21.

When the chair is in use, the several parts assume the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the studs 10 at the back of the seat resting at the lower ends of the grooves 11 and the braces 18 being disposed substantially vertically with the studs 23 at their upper ends engaging the front ends of the slots 22. The seat will consequently be in usable position and will be firmly supported, and the arms 20 will be in position to support the arms of the user and may be utilized for writing or for supporting articles which are to be used, it being understood that the arms 20 may be of any desired width and will preferably have smooth upper surfaces. When the chair is to be folded, an upward pull is exerted upon the back portion of the seat through the strap 12.

The seat being pivotally connected with the back legs 8, at their upper ends and near its front end, will tend to turn about the pivotal connections but this movement is resisted by the engagement of the members 10 in the grooves 11 so that the back portion of the seat will move upwardly and the front portion thereof will swing toward the back or the side members 1, which movement, of course, is followed by the upper ends of the legs 8 and the seat and legs, consequently, will move into the positions shown in Fig. 4 so that they will occupy very little space and the device may be put to one side, out of the way. A reverse movement applied to the seat will, of course, cause the parts to assume the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the chair may be used.

As the seat 6 and legs 8 move in the above stated manner, the studs 16, engaging in the slots 17 in the braces 18, cause said braces to be swung about their pivotal connections 19 with the legs 8; and as said braces are so swung, the engagement of the studs 23 in the slots 22 of the plates 21 depending from the arms 20 causes said arms to be folded downwardly and rearwardly to lie flat against the side members 1. Thus it will be seen that the mechanism above described may be operated, by actuation of the seat along in a single movement, to fold the side members, legs, seat, arms, and braces into a single fiat package.

As has been stated, the drawings illustrate the invention applied to a childs high chair, and, when the invention is embodied in a high chair, I provide a tray 24 and a step or foot rest 25. The tray is provided at one end with a depending pivot pin 26 which is adapted to fit within an opening provided therefor in one of the arms 20, as indicated at 27 in Fig. 5, the arm having a recess 28 in its upper portion to accommodate a pin 29 which is inserted diametrically through the pivot 26 and is engaged under a plate 30 which is secured on the upper side of the arm, said plate having a longitudinal slot 31 formed therein topermit the passage of 'the pin 29 whereupon the tray may be turned so that the pin will extend across the slot, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 6, and the tray will, consequently, be held firmly on the arm although it may be turned to extend across the same or project forwardly therefrom.

The free end of the tray is provided with a keeper 32 which extends downwardly therefrom and is then bent laterally to extend under the tray in such spaced relation thereto that, when the tray is disposed in the position shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 3, the keeper will extend under the adjacent arm 20 and will be engaged by a spring latch 33 secured on the underside of said arm, the tray being thereby locked in position for use.

The foot rest or step 25 is a straight board or plate secured near its ends to brackets or angle levers 34 which are pivoted at or near their angles to hangers 35 which are pivoted at their upper ends to the respective brackets 13, it being noted that the hangers are of such length that they will extend somewhat below the brackets or angle levers 34 and may serve as stops to limit the downward movement of the front arms of said angle levers and, consequently, will arrest the movement of the step or foot rest when it has reached a position in which it may be comfortably used. The angle levers or brackets 34 extend rearwardly beyond the hangers 35 and to their rear ends are pivoted the lower ends of links 36 which have their upper ends pivoted to the brackets 13 at points in advance of the pivotal connections of the hangers 35, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the chair is set up for use, the foot rest will be disposed in a horizontal position below and in advance of the front edge of the seat, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. When the chair is folded, as the seat turns about its pivotal connections with the upper ends of the legs 8, the front ends of the brackets 13 will be moved relatively downward and this downward movement will be transmitted through the links 36 to the rear ends of the brackets or angle levers 34. The connections of the links to the angle levers, however, are at the rear of the connections between the hangers and the angle levers so that the angle levers are caused to turn about their pivotal connections with the hangers and the step or foot rest will be caused to fold up toward the hangers and the links. When the seat turns about its pivotal connections with the upper end of the legs 8, said legs are, of course, moved toward the side members 1, as will be understood upon reference to Fig. 4, and as has been stated. This movement will cause the brackets 15 and the studs 16 thereon to move upwardly relative to the braces 18 and also move rearwardly so that said braces will be swung rearwardly about their pivoted lower ends, and the studs 23 at'the upper ends thereof will be caused to move rearwardly in the slots 22 of the guide brackets 21 which are secured on the undersides of the arms 20. The arms 20 will consequently be unsupported at their front ends and will turn about their pivotal connections 37 with the side members 1, and will assume positions at the sides of the folded seat and foot rest, carrying the tray 24 into a position over the foot rest, so that all the parts will be very compactly arranged, as shown in Fig. 4.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple chair which maybe manufactured at a low cost and may be easily manipulated to be set up for use or folded to be stored in a compact space. The chair will be thoroughly braced, when set up for use, and cannot collapse under the weight of a person seated therein. In fact, the weight of the person tends to hold the chair more firmly in its set-up position inasmuch as the seat is then caused to press downwardly upon the cross bar 5 and the upper ends of the legs 8, and these parts cannot spread apart because they are restrained from such action by the engagement of the seat with the legs and the grooved upper portions of the back side members. The braces 18, furthermore-cannot move outwardly by reason of their engagement with the side arms and the lower portions of the side members 1 and, consequently, the chair will not fold until an upward movement is imparted to the seat through the strap 12.

Having thus described the invention, I claim,

1. A folding chair comprising side members constituting legs, a seat support secured to and between said side members, legs pivoted between their ends to the side members, a seat pivotally connected to the upper ends of said legs adjacent its front edge and having its rear end portion slidably connected with the upper end portions of the side members, the back edge portion of the seat resting on the seat support when in operative position, side arms pivoted at their r ends to the side members above the seat, braces pivoted at their lower ends to the side members below and in advance of the pivotal connections between said members and the legs and having sliding connection at their upper ends with the side arms, and retaining brackets secured to the legs near the upper ends thereof and having sliding connection with said braces.

2. A' folding chair comprising a pair of side members constituting front legs, a pair of rear legs pivoted to said respective side members and extending downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly and forwardly from their pivotal connections, a seat member pivoted adjacent its front edge to the upper ends of said rear legs and slidably associated adjacent its rear edge with said side members, a pair of arm rests pivoted to said respective side members above said pivotal connections, a brace for each of said arm rests, each of said braces being pivoted to one of said side members below said pivotal connections and slidably associated with its arm rest, and a pair of brackets, each of said brackets being secured to one of said rear legs above said pivotal connections and carrying a stud slidably received in a longitudinal slot formed in the corresponding 11'808.

FLOYD M. OVERBEY. [n.sJ 

